Catching a thief?

[redlottie13]

Evening!...ok so an update from my previous post.

Ok so a pair of RayBans I had put down at work dissapeared about 7 months ago....I didn't think anything of it. Just gutted that I'd lost them! Asked my senior stylist but she said she doesn't remember seeing them.

Now 2 dresses we were selling in my shop, worth £100 .....just up and walk out of the salon.

I've pin pointed it to being a particular week (Key fobs, room usage, receipts when I bought them, and CCTV of people going into the room)
and I'm 100% sure it's my senior staff member.
But cannot get proof as my CCTV doesn't cover the area where they were actually taken (Beauty Room/changed to staff room after 4 weeks) ...she knows this.

I know I'm within my rights to sack her as I've checked out the legalities.

However.......I work in a very small village where everyone knows each others business and she's such a sweet darling (yawn.......)

And her ex boss now has a rep for bullying her....call me sensitive but I don't want to be the baddie!

To give you an example of her very very very sweet personality ....My friends have nicknamed her Tefal (non stick ) [emoji23]


I want some help trapping her!

I now have CCTV in every room (bar beauty)
Clearly she likes fashion so any help would be amazing x

 

[Trinity]

I'm sorry but this seems a bit petty, trying to set someone up is very childish and is more likely to give you a bad reputation than dealing with it professionally.

You would be better dealing with it face to face, arrange a meeting with her, present the information you have and discuss a way forward. If that involves her resigning or you sacking her can be agreed between you as per the terms of her contact/agreement.

If I'd stolen from my boss and was confronted I'd quit anyway so I don't think getting her to leave will be an issue if you are completely sure. Even if she doesn't leave immediately eventually the guilt and bad feeling will prompt her to go anyway.

 

[redlottie13]

I'm sorry but this seems a bit petty, trying to set someone up is very childish and is more likely to give you a bad reputation than dealing with it professionally.

You would be better dealing with it face to face, arrange a meeting with her, present the information you have and discuss a way forward. If that involves her resigning or you sacking her can be agreed between you as per the terms of her contact/agreement.

If I'd stolen from my boss and was confronted I'd quit anyway so I don't think getting her to leave will be an issue if you are completely sure. Even if she doesn't leave immediately eventually the guilt and bad feeling will prompt her to go anyway.

I see, however. I have confronted...she's denied everything.

My clothes stolen were also for a charity fund raiser for my daughter I lost last year.........Petty, I think not!

 

[Trinity]

I see, however. I have confronted...she's denied everything.

My clothes stolen were also for a charity fund raiser for my daughter I lost last year.........Petty, I think not!

I didn't say stealing from you was petty, it's not, it's wrong on every level and you have every right to be angry and hurt.

That anger and hurt must not turn you into someone you are not and that is vengeful and unpleasant, you are clearly a kind and caring person or you wouldn't be raising money for a dearly held charity. Do not let her drag you down to her level. Rise above it, be professional and dignified. You will walk away feeling better than if you get into 'tit for tat'.

 

[squidgernetball]

Are you thinking of entrapping her? If you e confronted her and she’s denied it, I think she might be super careful. I would hope it’s been enough to deter her from anything happening again. I personally don’t think entrapment is the way forward. However, I’ve also never had a staff member stealing (not that I’ve noticed anyway). No answers. Sorry. I’d probs sack her or give her a warning. Aargh!!! Don’t know

 

[redlottie13]

Are you thinking of entrapping her? If you e confronted her and she’s denied it, I think she might be super careful. I would hope it’s been enough to deter her from anything happening again. I personally don’t think entrapment is the way forward. However, I’ve also never had a staff member stealing (not that I’ve noticed anyway). No answers. Sorry. I’d probs sack her or give her a warning. Aargh!!! Don’t know [emoji852]️

So hard isn't it, and I'm totally not nasty.

But......she's such a sweetheart and I just know that no one would believe me if I never had solid proof

 

[CFBS]

Such a hard situation to deal with. You have my sympathy.
Now you have confronted her and she has denied it, the atmosphere in the salon will undoubtedly change. The therapist may have spread the info through the rest of the staff too, which doesn't help.
Either, all the pinching will stop (who ever was doing it) or the guilty person will leave.

Do you provide each member of staff with a secure locker to put their possessions in? - if not, I recommend this as a first step. Everything these days needs to be locked away or it will walk! Be secure against all - clients and staff.
Clients can very easily slip into the staff room unseen & rifle through handbags etc.

I had a therapist who stole. It's disappointing.

 

[nailpod]

To my knowledge entrapment is illegal. Meaning if you set a trap and used this as leverage to sack her.
I agree with above if you have made this obvious you are aware and they will be more cautious.
How about setting up a dummy camera in the staff room if you are concerned . Don’t tell anyone it’s not working , we did this at the reception area of the one building we ran and it worked very well for opportunistic crimes.

I agree with the locker or cupboard per therapist idea it’s a good start.

 

[redlottie13]

Such a hard situation to deal with. You have my sympathy.
Now you have confronted her and she has denied it, the atmosphere in the salon will undoubtedly change. The therapist may have spread the info through the rest of the staff too, which doesn't help.
Either, all the pinching will stop (who ever was doing it) or the guilty person will leave.

Do you provide each member of staff with a secure locker to put their possessions in? - if not, I recommend this as a first step. Everything these days needs to be locked away or it will walk! Be secure against all - clients and staff.
Clients can very easily slip into the staff room unseen & rifle through handbags etc.

I had a therapist who stole. It's disappointing.

Yep I've done this. Atmosphere is cold to say the least [emoji54]